By this point on our tour of October 7 memorial sites in Israel, we were exhausted and heartbroken. I didn't even know how to process everything we’d already seen. But there was yet another stop: the city of Sderot.
On October 7, around 50 terrorists infiltrated this border city. They took over the local police station and murdered 71 people, including a group of elderly residents waiting at a bus stop for an outing to the Dead Sea.
Walking through the memorial site, a quote etched into a pillar stopped me:
“Are you with Israel?” – Romi Shira Swisa, 6
I searched her name on my phone. Romi’s father was killed by terrorists as the family tried to flee in their car. Her mother screamed for help. A Bedouin man, Amer Abu Sabila, came to her rescue. Terrorists killed them both. Romi and her baby sister were hiding on the floor of the backseat covered by a blanket. When Israeli police officers and volunteers finally reached the bullet-ridden vehicle under heavy gunfire, Romi was terrified they were terrorists returning. She asked, “Are you with Israel?”
Now October 7 wasn’t a headline or a date in history. It was a frightened little girl hiding beneath a blanket, desperately trying to figure out if she was facing friend or enemy.
Some places are difficult to visit. Sderot is one of them. Maybe that’s why we must go.
To see. To remember. To carry the stories with us and to remain strong against evil.
Memorial in Sderot on site of police station destroyed by terrorists in a fierce battle on October 7. The 18 columns signify chai, life. Inscribed with Romi’s and other quotes.
Memorial for Amram Toledano, killed by terrorists in Sderot, Israel, on October 7, 2023.
Mural in Sderot, Israel, by Artist Arad Levy symbolizing courage and rebirth.
Mural in Sderot, Israel, by Artist Eliyasaf Miara symbolizes that while things can be destroyed, the community spirit is indestructible.
